Pump for inflatable objects with integrated light source

ABSTRACT

A pump for inflatable objects having a housing including an air inlet and an air outlet, a motor positioned within said housing, an impeller positioned within the housing for moving air, a light source defined on an exterior of the housing; and a reflector disposed on the housing proximate the light source.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present patent document claims the benefit of the filing date under35 U.S.C. §119(e) of Provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No.60/930,317, filed May 15, 2007, which is hereby incorporated byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of pumps forinflatable objects such as air mattresses and chairs. More specifically,the present invention relates to a pump for inflatable objects thatincludes an integrated light source.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Air pumps are commonly used on camping trips to inflate items such aschairs and air mattresses. Typically, such air pumps are battery poweredand tend to be heavy, due to the weight of the batteries. For example,an air pump could require four D-cell batteries in order to provideenough power to inflate an object at a reasonable rate.

Couplings that connect the pump to the inflatable object often need tobe mated carefully to avoid leaks, and during situations where inflationis required, it may be dark and difficult to properly mate the pump withthe inflatable object.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A solution to this problem is to provide an air pump that can inflatevarious inflatable objects and also includes a light source.Furthermore, since air pumps are commonly used on camping trips wherelight can be scarce, it is also desirable to integrate a light sourcepositioned such that a user could illuminate the valve on the inflatableobject during inflation or deflation.

Disclosed herein is a pump for inflatable objects having a housingincluding an air inlet and an air outlet, a motor positioned within saidhousing, an impeller positioned within the housing for moving air, alight source defined on an exterior of the housing; and a reflectordisposed on the housing proximate the light source.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification. These drawings illustrate embodiments of theinvention and together with the description serve to explain theprinciples of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pump embodiment including a lightsource;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view from the opposite side of the embodiment ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear planar view with the cover removed showing a batterycompartment of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative pump embodiment includingboth a first light source and a second light source;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative pump embodiment includinga light source;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative pump embodiment includinga light source; and

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments,examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pump embodiment. The pump 10 includesa housing 12 with a first end 14 and a second end 16. The housing 12contains the inner workings of a common pump for the inflation of aninflatable object, such as a motor 46 (shown in FIG. 3) and an impeller(not shown). The construction of a typical handheld pump is described,for example, in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,822 to Robert M.Feldman which is herein incorporated by reference. Furthermore, thehousing 12 includes an air inlet 18 defined on the first end 14 of thehousing 12 and an air outlet 20 defined on the side 22 of the housing12. The illustrated embodiment also includes a handle portion 24.

The pump embodiment also includes an integrated lamp assembly 26 definedon the handle portion 24. The lamp assembly 26 includes a lens 28, anarray of light emitting diodes 30 (LEDs) and corresponding reflectors32. Additionally, referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the pump embodimentincludes a battery compartment 34 capable of holding one or morebatteries 40 to supply the motor 46 with power. Alternatively, thehousing 12 could include a connection for an external power source. Thepump embodiment also includes a first switch assembly 36, and may alsoinclude a second switch assembly 38 for controlling the motor of thepump 10 and/or the LEDs 30.

The present invention provides a single unit that can inflate and/ordeflate an inflatable object and function as a flashlight. In operation,a user connects the air outlet 20 of the pump 10 to a valve on aninflatable object such as the valve disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,726to Robert B. Chaffee, which is herein incorporated by reference.Alternatively, the pump 10 can be attached to any air inlet on aninflatable object utilizing universal adaptors such as those disclosedin commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,882 to Robert M. Feldman, which isherein incorporated by reference. The pump 10 attaches to the valve atthe air outlet 20 defined on the side of the housing 12. The firstswitch assembly 36 is actuated to energize the motor 46 which drives theimpeller (not shown). The rotation of the impeller draws air through theair inlet 18 defined on the first end 14 of the housing 12, routes itthrough the interior of the housing 12 and out through the air outlet 20into the inflatable object. The first switch assembly 36 is thenactuated to deactivate the motor 46 and stop further inflation.

The pump 10, in an alternative embodiment, could also be used to deflatean inflatable object. In the deflation configuration, the air inlet 18of the pump 10 is attached to the valve of the inflatable object, andthe first switch assembly 36 is activated. Air is drawn out of theinflatable object through the air inlet 18 of the pump 10, routedthrough the interior of the housing 12 and out through the air outlet 20into the atmosphere. Alternatively, the motor 46 could be reversible sothat it could drive the impeller in the opposite direction, allowingboth inflation and deflation from one configuration.

In an alternative embodiment, the air outlet 20 can include a sensorthat senses when the pump is connected to a valve such as the sensingarrangement described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,363 to Robert B. Chaffee,which is herein incorporated by reference. Such a sensing arrangementcould comprise a lever combined with electrical contacts. Uponconnection to the valve of the inflatable object, the lever is biasedinto a position where it completes a circuit and activates the motor 46.This allows auto-activation of the motor 46 when the air outlet 20 isconnected to a valve of the inflatable object. In this embodiment, onlya first switch assembly 36 is required, and the first switch assembly 36allows a user to turn the LEDs 30 on or off.

The integrated lamp assembly 26 is preferably disposed on the housing 12on or near the handle portion 24 as shown in the illustratedembodiments. This allows the user to comfortably hold the pump 10 in onehand and direct it like a traditional flashlight. Alternatively, theintegrated lamp assembly 26 may be molded directly into the housing 12.The integrated lamp assembly 26 preferably includes at least one LED 30,a lens 28 and a reflector 32. In the illustrated embodiments, an arrayof three LEDs 30 is provided, each with a corresponding reflector 32. Inoperation, a user actuates a second switch 38 to energize the LEDs 30.Light emitted from the LEDs is reflected by the reflectors 32 outthrough the lens 28. A typical lamp assembly incorporating LEDs and thenecessary circuitry is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,309,147 to RichardW. Martin, which is herein incorporated by reference, but any suitablelamp assembly known in the art could be used in the present invention,including incandescent or fluorescent bulbs and associated circuitry toprovide power and switchability thereto. The reflectors 32 may beconstructed from any suitable reflective material such as plastic withreflective coating, or polished aluminum. Other reflective materials mayalso be used. Furthermore, while white LEDs 30 are preferred because oftheir high luminescence, other colored LEDs could also be incorporated.Moreover, a single LED 30 could be used, or the LED array could includeany number of LEDs 30.

The pump 10 of the present invention may be powered by any meanscommonly known in the art. As shown in FIG. 3, four D-cell batteries 40located in the battery compartment 42 of the housing 12 power the pump.Depending on the power requirements of the motor 46 and the LEDs 30,larger or smaller numbers of batteries could be utilized. One set ofbatteries 40 could power both the motor 46 and the LEDs 30, or one setof batteries could provide power for the motor 46 while a second set ofbatteries provides power to the LEDs 30. Alternatively, the pump 10could be a rechargeable AC/DC pump, such as that disclosed in commonlyowned U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0077153 to Timothy F. Austen etal., which is herein incorporated by reference. The circuit disclosed inthe Austen publication could be adjusted to also power the LEDs 30.

In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a second lamp assembly 44is integrated into the side 22 of the housing 12 proximate the air inlet18. The second lamp assembly 44 comprises at least one LED 30, a lens 28and reflectors 32, constructed in the same fashion as the previouslydescribed lamp assembly 26. The positioning of the second lamp assembly44 proximate the air inlet 18 provides illumination of an inlet port ofan inflatable object in low light situations. The LEDs 30 of the secondlamp assembly 44 can be activated by a user through the actuation of thefirst switch assembly 36, or through the actuation of a third switchassembly (not pictured).

Also, the lamp assembly 26 can have a power source that is separable anddetachable from the pump, with an area on the housing 12 that wouldallow for attachment of the lamp assembly 26.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5, in an embodiment where three LEDs 30are shown, the two most lateral LEDs 30, lens 28, and reflectors 32 onthe lamp assembly 26 may be positioned at an angle relative to themedial LED 30, lens 28, and reflector 32 such that the spectrum of lightemitted by the lamp assembly is broader than the lamp assembly shown inFIG. 4.

In FIG. 6, the lamp assembly 26 is shown with LED 30, lens 28, andreflector 32. Cut-out 48 may be integrated into the lamp assembly suchthat light from the lamp assembly 26 may be emitted to the side of thepump 10. The cut-out 48 may be a clear piece of plastic or configured ina way such that light may be emitted in a first direction to the frontof the pump 10 and in a second direction to the side of the pump 10.

In yet another embodiment, the lamp assembly 26 could be mounted on aswivel (not shown), a ball joint (not shown), or a flexible gooseneck(not shown) which is in turn mounted on the housing 12. This would allowfor independent movement of the lamp assembly 26.

It should be noted that there could be a wide range of changes made tothe present embodiments without departing from the scope of the claimedinvention. The first lamp assembly 26 could be repositioned to thesecond end 16 of the housing 12, or any other location on the housing12. It is therefore intended that the foregoing detailed description beregarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understoodthat it is the following claims, including all equivalents, that areintended to define the spirit and scope of this invention.

1. A pump for inflatable objects, said pump comprising: a housingincluding an air inlet and an air outlet; a motor positioned within saidhousing; an impeller positioned within said housing for moving air; atleast one light source defined on an exterior of said housing; and atleast one reflector disposed on said housing proximate said lightsource.
 2. The pump of claim 1, wherein said light source comprises atleast one light emitting diode.
 3. The pump of claim 1, furthercomprising a battery compartment defined in the housing.
 4. The pump ofclaim 1, further comprising a connection for an external power sourcedefined on said housing.
 5. The pump of claim 1, wherein said housingfurther comprises a handle portion.
 6. The pump of claim 5, furthercomprising a lens disposed on said housing.
 7. The pump of claim 6,wherein said reflector and said lens are positioned such that saidreflector directs light from said at least one light source through saidlens in a first direction.
 8. The pump of claim 6, wherein saidreflector directs light from said at least one light source in a seconddirection.
 9. The pump of claim 7, wherein said at least one lightsource, said reflector and said lens are defined on said handle portion.10. The pump of claim 1, further comprising a second light sourcedefined on said housing proximate said air outlet.
 11. The pump of claim10, further comprising a second lens and a second reflector, said secondreflector positioned such that said second reflector directs light fromsaid second light source through said second lens.
 12. The pump of claim1, further comprising at least one switch assembly defined on saidhousing, said switch assembly being able to control the operation ofsaid motor and said at least one light source.
 13. The pump of claim 1,further comprising at least first and second switch assemblies, saidfirst switch assembly being able to control the operation of said motorand said second switch assembly being able to control the operation ofsaid at least one light source.
 14. The pump of claim 1, wherein saidmotor automatically activates upon the attachment of said pump to avalve on an inflatable object.
 15. The pump of claim 14, furthercomprising at least one switch assembly, said at least one switchassembly being able to control the operation of said at least one lightsource.
 16. A pump for inflatable objects, said pump comprising: ahousing including an air inlet and an air outlet; a motor positionedwithin said housing; an impeller positioned within said housing formoving air; a lamp assembly integrated into said housing.
 17. The pumpof claim 16, wherein said lamp assembly comprises at least one lightsource, a lens, and a reflector.
 18. The pump of claim 17, wherein saidhousing further comprises a handle portion, and said lamp assembly isintegrated into said handle portion.
 19. The pump of claim 18, furthercomprising a second lamp assembly integrated into said housing proximatesaid air outlet, said second lamp assembly comprising at least one lightsource, a lens and a reflector.
 20. The pump of claim 19, wherein saidsecond lamp assembly provides illumination of an inlet port of aninflatable object during inflation of said inflatable object through theoperation of said pump.
 21. A pump for inflatable objects, said pumpcomprising: a housing having a first end, a second end, an air inlet, anair outlet and a battery compartment defined therein; a motor positionedwithin said housing; an impeller positioned within said housing formoving air; and at least one light source and a reflector defined onsaid first end of said housing.
 22. The pump of claim 21, wherein saidair outlet is defined on a side of said housing and said air inlet isdefined on said first end of said housing.
 23. The pump of claim 21,wherein said pump can inflate an inflatable object having a valve byattaching said pump to said valve at said air outlet.
 24. The pump ofclaim 23, wherein said pump can deflate an inflatable object having avalve by attaching said pump to said valve at said air inlet.
 25. Thepump of claim 24, wherein said first light source and said reflector aredefined on said second end of said housing.